


Lin Bei Fong's Crappy Day

by Ciridus



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Equalist, Food, Freedom, Gen, Metalbending & Metalbenders, Prison, Republic City, Smoking, Triple Triad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2018-02-05 02:16:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1801729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ciridus/pseuds/Ciridus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This little story starts right when Korra's been arrested on her first day in Republic City. However, it is written through Lin Bei Fong's point of view: she's watching over an equalist rally, a new recruit comes and tells her of Korra's imprisonment, and she travels through the city to a rooftop to relax for a few minutes before a grueling night shift, where the story ends with her smoking on the rooftop watching the harbor. She doesn't meet Korra or Tenzin, but does make several references to her past relationship with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lin Bei Fong's Crappy Day

**Author's Note:**

> Just my first work--no real romance or sexual activities. Just Lin Bei Fong having a terrible day and how she deals with it. Xinshi is just a character I made up. We get to see a glimpse into Lin's private life and her relationship with Toph. I deliberately wrote in a choppier style than I usually do because I feel like that's how Lin would think: structured, balanced. So yeah. Enjoy.

_Yet another march. How long will it be before they realize that nothing’s ever going to change?_ , Lin Bei Fong thought to herself, sneering over the equalist supporters rallied through the streets of Republic City. She might have been more sympathetic if it hadn’t been the eleventh rally of the month, which only meant more work for her. On top of the usual petty crime and drug busts on the gangs, now she had to uselessly ‘stand guard’ above the screaming mob. She’d been ordered to personally keep watch over the protests at the request of the council, but it was tiring. Not that she disagreed with their orders, as she was probably one of the most concerned for the safety of the general public, but _still_.

It started raining. _Damnit_. Lin would never admit it, but her powerful metal suit that made her feel like a superhero wasn’t all that practical—sure, it could block fire attacks pretty well, but it was so not waterproof. She would be miserable and cold tonight. The drops were spread out, uncomfortably refusing to join in a more comfortable stream, each tickling her back individually without decisiveness. She tried to think about how nice her black coffee would taste tonight, as it filled her stomach with warmth, and her fuzzy green blanket would warm her toes like the warm cat she’d always wanted but couldn’t have because of allergies. It didn’t help. She was miserable and angry and there was nothing anybody else could do about it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of her officers slide down one of the defense wires and lightly land a short distance away. He was hurrying, breathing hard, but he looked up and slowed down, obviously wary of her expression. _Yep, typical newbie_.

“Get it over with and tell me what you want,” she snarled, much harsher than she had intended. Inside she softened. It was only his second duty, and he didn’t know yet that despite her constant grumpiness, she really did care for her metal benders and what they had to say. He’d learn with time, as the rest had, even though it was an unspoken rule never to discuss Chief Bei Fong’s soft heart. At least not in front of her.

“It’s… it’s the Avatar, ma’am.”

“Address me by ‘Chief,’ as I’ve already told you countless times. You new recruits get dumber and dumber. What about the avatar?”

“… Well…she…”

“Spit it out kid.”

“She’s in jail, Chief.”

Lin sighed and closed her eyes. _Why today. Why did Tenzin HAVE to come back today_. She would need an extra dose of caffeine tonight. Putting an individual with diplomatic immunity in prison required a lot of special paperwork that couldn’t be screwed up. She’d have to do it herself. It’s the only way she’d be able to sleep tonight.

“What happened.”

“She took down some Triple Threats who were extorting on Yinyue Alley, and managed to destroy the better part of the block. Analysts are figuring out the cost of damages, but it’s gonna be fairly high, Chief.”

“Can it wait until morning? I have a busy night.”

“Actually… about that: Tenzin demands your presence immediately. As your boss—”

“I KNOW he’s my boss, thank you Xinshi. Tell Captain Lu and Gang that they’re in charge over the march.”

“And… there’s more,” the young policeman went on, shoulders scrunched up, eyes towards the floor, all his recent confidence lost again. “The shopkeepers didn’t really know who to sue, so they’re…”

“Speak up, kid I can’t hear you,” Lin snapped, even though she already knew the answer. The dull ache of her bones and her shivering legs were quite well masked by her unwavering voice, though she was dreading what was coming next.

“They’re suing the police for not arriving in time to save their shops.”

She felt old and worn down, probably reeking of sweat and tobacco, but she didn’t care. She just wished this day would end—it wouldn’t. Clearly tonight was going to be an all-nighter. There would be no mercy for the avatar. As she whipped up a cord to the defense lines, the patter of rain ceased. As she pulled herself up, she flew up above the building and suddenly a brilliant blast of sunshine illuminated her. It first chased the shadow from her face, on which the forgiving, warm light erased her wrinkles acquired too young, her scars illuminating like bright steel. It reflected off her metallic hair lightly bouncing in the gust, off her shoulders and arms and rough hands of an earth-bender. The speckles of water on her damp suit glittered like that awful sequined dress she’d worn to please Tenzin on that date… she’d grown somewhat fond of it, as it reminded her of the broken glass of burglared shops—sharp and dangerous once provoked, yearning for vengeful repayment of painful shattering. Powerful. Beautiful. Not that she ever told Tenzin. She wouldn’t have told that to anyone, even on her deathbed.

Yes, she was definitely the daughter of her mother, she thought, smiling at her own roughness. She closed her eyes; she knew the way. Lin had, in fact, designed the system of lines. She breathed in the dust and chemicaled smoke from the Satomobiles below, reminding her of that stinking damp carpet in the hotel in Ba Sing Se. The odor had its charm. She rounded a corner and the sun was again in her face as she swooped West towards the sunset, amplifying the sea breeze which was singing in her ears. So this is what it must feel to be an airbender. Not bad, Tenzin. She opened her eyes and they lit up like ‘fiery teal butterflies’ as her sister had told her once, long ago. Wafts of different neighborhoods drifted up to her as she passed through districts. Spicy fried meats with which she often engaged her officers in challenges, always permeated the fire nation district. She always won, mostly because she was by far the most obstinate of anyone on the crew. And then she passed over a row of shops specializing in her mother’s favorite dishes from the areas around Gaoling. She inhaled the scents of sweet doughs and cooked freshwater fish—somewhat bitter but still delicate with flowery herbs.

Constant travelling was by far the best part of her job. Moments like these, as her extremities slowly glowed with warmth from a dying sun, were one of the few things that could ever make her smile. Truly smile, free from her anxieties over everything from her crooked teeth to the weight of her job. She twirled unnecessarily— _yes, for fun_ —and landed on a roof. Sure, she could be on her way to the prison right now, but she was going to serve the city all night. The city could wait for five minutes. The avatar could wait. She flicked a match and lit a cigarette, watching the boats enter the harbor and the busy noise of the thoroughfare of rush hour. It was moments like these, when she could almost feel her mother enjoying the tenderness of the sun and the crying of seagulls beside her with the rooftop quiet from the vibrations of the street, that she felt most. Love, hate, happiness, sadness. Nobody to impress. Nobody to let down. She just felt free.


End file.
